Outcry over Uganda plan to draw tourists with 'curvy women'

Ugandan State Minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda, unveiled the Miss Curvy pageant on February 5, 2019 as part of its tourism products.

But in a statement, Kiwanda says the concept of Miss Curvy Uganda is no different from other beauty pageants that only celebrate slender and slim women. "That is idolising women as objects; like how you look at objects that's how they will look at women".

Mr Kiwanda wondered, pointing at "a sample" of attractive women at the press conference on Tuesday.

'Uganda is endowed with lovely women. That's why we made a decision to use the unique beauty, the curves.to make this beauty a product to be marketed along with what we already have as a country ranging from nature, the language and food, to make it a tourist attraction, ' Kiwanda told AFP.

In a bid to grow the sector's revenues and attract more tourists, Uganda has added curvaceous women to its lists of tourism products it offers.

He said it would be used to promote tourism in the East African country.

Mr Kiwanda has previously declared the Ugandan favourite roadside snack - a thinly-rolled chapati stuffed with fried eggs, locally known as rolex (derived from roll on eggs)- a tourist attraction that is now celebrated with an annual festival.

And in a Change.org petition, campaigner Primrose Murungi wrote that she "personally feels attacked" by the idea, and called for Mr Kiwanda to issue an apology to the public.

She demanded that the contest is taken down and that the minister offers a public apology for coming up with such an initiative.

Former opposition leader in parliament Winnie Kiiza told AFP the move came "at the time (when) women face fear and stigma in a male-dominated society". "It is an exceptional event that will see young ladies showcase their handsome curves and intellect", said Ms Mungoma.

Mrs 007 wrote on Twitter: "In Uganda, curvy women are now tourist 'products" as if zoo animals.

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